


It's a Setup!

by shadowhostage (thenakednymph)



Series: Read to Me [1]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Gen, M/M, Merthur only if you squint
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-02-24
Updated: 2013-02-24
Packaged: 2017-12-03 10:51:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,011
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/697470
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thenakednymph/pseuds/shadowhostage
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Merlin tries for some alone time when the power goes out, but Arthur finds him and they bond over Hans Christian Anderson.</p>
            </blockquote>





	It's a Setup!

Merlin winced as the footsteps drew closer. He did not want company. That was why he was in the darkest area of the house. Alone. And as far away from the noise and hormones of the main room as he could get.

He considered getting up and slinking off before whoever it was could find him, but then Arthur came around the corner, drawn by the light of Merlin's head lamp no doubt, and it was too late.

Arthur smiled when he saw him, obviously mistaking Merlin's glare as an invitation to join him. Arthur pressed his back to the wall and slid to the floor by Merlin's side with a groan, Merlin scooting a few inches away, trying to retain some kind of personal space and not caring if Arthur noticed.

“You're Gwaine's friend, Merlin right? I'm Arthur.” He stuck out his hand and Merlin looked at it like it might bite, frown still firmly in place.

“If I weren't do you really think I'd be here with this lot?” he asked snidely, turning back to his book. “Though how Gwaine managed to talk me into this is astounding. I must have been drunk,” he muttered. Arthur laughed and Merlin caught his smile from the corner of his eye, his stomach lifting in his chest before falling into his knees and leaving him light headed.

“I know the feeling.”

Merlin diverted his full attention back to Arthur. “Really?” It was hard to believe. Arthur was social, smiling, energetic and optimistic as hell. He never looked out of place so why should he feel out of place?

“Well yeah. Without Morgana along or Guin's brother, the four of them are going to pair off and I'm stuck as the awkward third wheel.” He shrugged, an easy smile on his lips.

Merlin frowned, growing more suspicious of Gwaine's motivation for dragging him along. “Are you gay?”

Arthur made a choking sound that finally drew a small smile from Merlin as Arthur gagged and tried to catch his breath, pounding on his chest. “I beg your pardon?”

Laughing Merlin shook his head. Arthur was cute when he was flustered. “I just get the feeling we're being set up,” he explained.

Arthur's face dropped and Merlin wished he hadn't said anything. Feeling awkward and clumsy he curled in on himself, determined to ignore Arthur and return to his book.

“We are aren't we.” Merlin glanced up, feeling shy as Arthur spoke. “That sneaky little bastard.” Relieved Merlin extended his hand with a friendlier smile.

“I'm Merlin.” Arthur shook his hand, still smiling. Merlin idly wondered if his cheeks hurt.

“I'm apparently very gullible,” he said by way of introduction. “I actually thought he wanted me along for the pleasure of my company and now I find out I'm being set up. We have been betrayed.” He lowered his voice to a tone that suggested such a thing meant war, drawing another smile from Merlin, something Arthur decided he liked. “So what are you doing up here?”

Arthur drew his hand back and looked around the dark hall before his eyes were drawn to the book in Merlin's lap.

“Probably the same thing you are; avoiding the hormones. When we lost power that lot lost interest in everything except themselves.” Merlin wrinkled his nose in distaste. “I'm just glad I brought a date with me.”

Arthur sputtered. “What?” Merlin thought he looked slightly crestfallen, but maybe he was wrong.

Merlin lifted the book in his lap to show Arthur the cover; a collection of short stories by Hans Christian Anderson. “It's a short term relationship, “ Merlin teased, “but a rewarding one.”

“Fairy tales?”

Merlin gasped and feigned shock, clutching the book to his chest. “It knows Anderson! Saints be praised there may be hope yet!”

Arthur shoved him. “Quit,” he scolded, snatching the book out of his hands as Merlin toppled sideways. Merlin protested the theft and reached for the book, but Arthur twisted away, keeping it just out of reach while trying to read the title written at the head of the page in the light of Merlin's rampant headlamp.

“Hold still will you?”Arthur reached up, smacking Merlin in the face before his hand found the headlamp and held it still and Merlin froze like an animal in a trap. “The Little Sea Maid,” Arthur read slowly, pondering the title for a moment before finally releasing Merlin. “What, as in The Little Mermaid? Like the Disney movie?” he asked, turning to face Merlin.

Merlin rolled his eyes, grabbing the book from Arthur's hand. “I suppose so; the inspiration for it anyway.”

“Huh, I've never read it.”

“Well maybe you should,” Merlin scolded. “Disney didn't exactly get everything right.” He settled back against the wall, adjusting his headlamp before opening the book and beginning to read, leaving Arthur to sit awkwardly at his side. Merlin threw him a few looks out of the corner of his eye as the minutes passed and Arthur didn't leave.

“Will you read it to me?” Arthur's voice jolted Merlin from the world of the story and Arthur lifted a hand to protect his eyes from the glare of the headlamp.

“Why?” he asked cagely.

“Because Merlin, there's really nothing else to do,” Arthur drawled.

Merlin narrowed his eyes, his heart squeezing at the sound of his name from Arthur's mouth. “So I'm to be your source of entertainment is that it? No thank you,” he snapped. He'd been the butt of more than a few jokes over the years and at the prospect of being used for someone else's entertainment again he was ready to bolt, his emotional barriers snapping up so fast it almost left him reeling.

“I didn't mean it like that,” Arthur hurried to clarify. “You're just better company than the others.” Merlin didn't look like he believed him. “Contrary to popular belief I do actually like the quiet,” Arthur said defensively. “I do like to be alone.”

“So you're going to be alone with me is that it?”

Arthur's lips squeezed together in a sour frown and he rose to his feet. “Forget it.” He hunched his shoulders and strode away.

Merlin's hand snapped out, catching Arthur by the back pocket before he could get very far and tugged him to the floor. “Oh, sit down and shut up will you?” Merlin chided, but it was soft and in a way appologetic. Maybe he'd jumped to conclusions with Arthur. It was difficult for him to trust anyone, but Arthur had shown what appeared to be genuine interest in something Merlin cherished and part of him really did want to share.

Untangling his arm from behind Arthur as he finally sat down, Merlin ran his nail along the pages. Arthur still looked peeved, but he wasn't trying to run off again. Merlin took that as a good sign.

“I'm in the middle, but if you don't mind...” He trailed off looking expectantly at Arthur. “Or I could start over from the beginning,” he suggested. “If you like.”

“Whatever,” Arthur mumbled and Merlin tried to hide a smile behind the book, oddly pleased Arthur had chosen to stay.

“ 'Let us be glad',” he read, “'Let us dance and leap in the three hundred years we have to live. That is certainly long enough; after that we can rest ourselves all the better. This evening we shall have a court ball.'”

“Is that supposed to be Ursula?” Arthur interrupted and Merlin fought the urge to smack him over the head.

“Stop thinking with Disney,” he scolded, “and yes, it's the sea witch. We can go back to the beginning-” Arthur waved the suggestion away.

“No, keep reading.” Merlin pursed his lips, but read on.

“...'But if you take away my voice,' said the little sea maid, 'What will remain to me?' 'Your beautiful form; replied the witch, 'your graceful walk, and your eloquent eyes: with those you can take captive a human heart. Well, have you lost your courage? Put out your little tongue, and then I will cut it off for my payment.'”

“You're making that up.” And again Arthur snatched the book from his hands, snapping Merlin for the world of the story. “There's no way,” Arthur muttered, his eyes scanning the page. “Holy gods.” He lifted his eyes to Merlin's. “She really cuts out her tongue?” He shivered, not waiting for a response. “Oh that's squicky.” He handed the book back, his face warped with distaste.

“Wouldn't you do the same for someone you knew you were destined to be with?”

“Hell no. I like my tongue.”

Merlin smiled down at the book, stroking the inside of a finger over the page. “I would,” he said softly.

“Really?” Arthur seemed horrified at the very notion.

Merlin nodded. “I think we have...soul mates, for lack of a better word,” he said, “someone who can make you feel whole. I would give anything for them,” he said softly; then he laughed. “Hell, I'd give me tongue just to find them.” He scoffed, his head falling back against the wall, the light from his lamp leaving a faded circle of yellow on the ceiling.

Arthur let that roll around in his head for a few minutes, frowning. “Well, was it worth it? Does she get her prince?”

Merlin let his head tip to the side. “If you'll stop interrupting me you'd find out.” His tone was scolding but he smiled and turned to the book, his heart racing as Arthur scooted closer to read over his shoulder and this time, Merlin didn't scoot away.

~

Arthur stared in shock as Merlin closed the book. “That's horrible,” he finally said and Merlin laughed at the expression on his face.

“Don't laugh.” He shoved Merlin and Merlin let him. “It's awful. She dies. Why are you laughing?” he demanded.

“Because not all fairy tales have happy endings. That's why I like them. Life is pain,” he explained, letting the book rest across his knees. “Sometimes the good guys die, we don't get what we want, and sometimes we sacrifice for nothing. Sometimes you love someone so much their happiness is worth more than yours.” He smiled fondly down at the book, the cover all wrinkled from use.

“That guy was a sadist,” Arthur said flatly. “Who would write something like that?”

“Someone who was heartbroken.” Arthur stilled and Merlin went on. “Anderson was in love with another writer who didn't return his feelings. The story is about them; Anderson is the little sea maid.”

Arthur pondered that for a moment, watching him, his interest peaking. “Well now I have to read it.” He reached for the book and Merlin passed it to him, lumbering to his feet.  
“Where are you going?”

“Downstairs,” Merlin groaned, stretching his arms over his head with a wince, his joints aching. “You can stay up her all night, but I'm freezing; and there's a nice warm fireplace downstairs calling my name.” With Merlin no longer at his side Arthur realized just how cold he was and hurried after him, the book clutched tightly in his hand.

“All right, all right, I'm coming. You're taking my light.”

Merlin didn't bother to correct him.

When they reached the the living room they found the others asleep already, curled up on the couches or on the rug in front of the fireplace. Merlin unrolled his sleeping bag and stoked the fire, smiling as Arthur sank to the ground already engrossed in the book, toeing his shoes off without looking.

Merlin used his foot to urge him over so he could make room for Arthur's sleeping bag, figuring he wouldn't do it himself, then urging him back onto his own bedding with a gentle kick. Kicking off his own shoes Merlin crawled into his bag, tossing Arthur the headlamp.

“Try not to stay up all night,” he teased softly, trying not to wake the others. Arthur made a noncommittal sound in the back of his throat and Merlin smiled into his pillow. Gwaine really was a sneaky bastard.


End file.
